All UHC workers to move to permanent, pensionable terms

The Universal Health Coverage (UHC) health workers in Kenya are set to transition from contractual to permanent and pensionable terms, following a decision made at a special Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) session chaired by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki. This change aims to provide the workers with long-term job security and pension benefits.

The transition will be funded through the County Governments Additional Allocations (CGAA) for the 2026/27 financial year, with the Ministry of Health to be reimbursed for payments already made to the workers for July and August. The Ministry of Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes will facilitate the transfer of the eligible workers’ payrolls to county governments, while County Public Service Boards will undertake their absorption.

The Public Service Commission will provide uniform guidelines to the County Public Service Boards to facilitate the transition in accordance with the law. Additionally, the council has resolved to factor personnel costs arising from the absorption of UHC workers into the Commission on Revenue Allocation’s revenue-sharing recommendation for the 2027/28 financial year to ensure counties do not lose part of their equitable share because of the transition.

The ongoing nationwide nurses’ strike, which began on July 29 over unresolved employment grievances, including the implementation of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), career progression guidelines and the absorption of UHC health workers, remains unresolved.

Brief written by urgent.news from KBC's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.